02/08/23 Update on ongoing repairs to ‘Ewa Beach WWPS Force Main

Update on ongoing repairs to 'Ewa Beach WWPS Force Main

HONOLULU - The City and County of Honolulu's Department of Environmental Services (ENV) is actively monitoring and repairing a wastewater force main break at the 'Ewa Beach Wastewater Pump Station near 814 Makule Road.

ENV crews stopped a spill from the force main Friday, February 3. The area was immediately coned off and access restricted to only wastewater personnel. Crews transported flows using tanker vehicles throughout the night and into Saturday morning. On Saturday morning, in response to heavy rainfall, ENV proactively managed flows by pumping partial flows through the force main and staged tanker vehicles at the pump station and upstream manholes.

ENV has identified the broken location in the force main. ENV has engaged a contractor who is actively addressing the repair, with repairs estimated to be completed by this weekend. ENV continues to transport flows using tanker vehicles to the wastewater treatment plant on an ongoing basis while repairs are underway.

ENV trucks are also collecting wastewater from two upstream manholes in the immediate area of Fort Weaver Road and Popoi Place and transporting it to redistribute downstream. Crews are also present to manage and monitor both manholes 24 hours per day due to intermittent, small gallonage spills that occurred Sunday and Monday. The area has been coned off since Sunday, and access to Popoi Place is restricted to vehicular traffic only, solely to allow for residential ingress and egress to Popoi Place. The ongoing repair to the force main will address the intermittent spilling. All spill sites were immediately cleaned, deodorized, and disinfected after every spill.

In addition, ENV is coordinating clean-up efforts for a spill in a contained, bermed area at the Puuloa Range Training Facility. This spill is contained and does not pose a risk to public health.

ENV will continue to manage and monitor the area until the force main is repaired. No spill has reached state waters.

ENV continues to ask residents to only use water minimally for essential daily activities and avoid doing loads of laundry, using the dishwasher, and taking long showers until the repair is complete. Repairs are anticipated to be completed by this weekend.

─ PAU ─